Jack Archer eBook

“I’ve seen wagons down in the country
with them,” Jack said, “and very pretty
the bells sounded on a still night. But the bells
were not so clear-toned as these.”

From one shaft to another, in a bow, high over the
horses’ necks, extended an arch of light wood,
and from this hung a score of little bells, which
tinkled merrily as the sledge glided along.

“It’s a delicious motion,” Jack
said; “no bumping or jolting, and yet, even
when one shuts one’s eyes, he feels that he is
going at a tremendous pace.”

The boys were amused at the driver, who frequently
cracked his whip, but never touched the horses, to
whom, however, he was constantly talking, addressing
them in encouraging tones, which, as Jack said, they
seemed to understand just like Christians.

After an hour-and-a-half’s drive, in which they
must have traversed some eighteen miles, they returned
to the chateau. The servant at the door relieved
them of their warm cloaks and of the loose, fur-lined
boots, with which they had also been furnished, and
then, evidently in accordance with orders, conducted
them upstairs to the room where the countess and two
of her daughters were working, while the third was
reading aloud. It was already getting dusk, and
lighted lamps burned on the tables, and the room,
heated by a great stove in the corner, felt pleasantly
warm and comfortable.

CHAPTER XIII.

A NOMINAL IMPRISONMENT

The evening passed pleasantly. There was some
music, and the three girls and their mother sang together,
and Jack (who had learnt part-singing at home, for
his family were very musical, and every night were
accustomed to sing glees and catches) also, at their
request, joined in, taking the part which their brother,
when at home, had been accustomed to fill.

In the course of the evening the boys explained that
they had said nothing to the commandant about their
having picked up a little Russian, as they had thought
that it was better to allow him to remain in ignorance
of it, as they had had some idea of making their escape.

“Why, you foolish boys,” Paulina said,
“where would you escape to? However, perhaps
it is as well that you said nothing about it, for he
only sent you here because he thought it would annoy
mamma; and if he had thought you had known any Russian,
he might have lodged you somewhere else.”

“We don’t want to escape now, you know,”
Jack said in his broken Russian. “We are
much more comfortable here than we should be in the
cold before Sebastopol.”

The next few days passed pleasantly; sometimes the
countess was not present, and then the girls would
devote themselves to improving the boys’ Russian.

Sometimes two sledges would come to the door, and
two of the girls accompanied the boys on their drive.
On the fourth evening, Count Smerskoff called, and
a cloud fell upon the atmosphere.